Lipless crank question.

[keithdog]

Has anyone ever seen a slow sinking lipless crank? I got to thinking about how beneficial it would be to have a slow sink version for fishing mid water columns and over the tops of weedbeds at a moderate speed. You could still tickle the tops of the weeds to trigger strikes, yet you wouldn't have to fish it as fast. I'm thinking about trying to modify a couple just to see what I can do to make such a bait.

[Bassboss]

Try it keith, let us know how it works out. Sounds like a pretty good idea!

[nobass]

bet you could driil holes in them and fill with cork. or sterafoam

[joedog]

I think Bill Lewis has a floating rattletrap, never used it (although very curious).Then there are the count down cranks, not true liples really.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by joedog

I think Bill Lewis has a floating rattletrap, never used it (although very curious).Then there are the count down cranks, not true liples really.

I have a few floating lipless cranks and they do work well. You don't see them much anymore and it's a shame.

[mrmuskie5]

Super spots are your best bet right out of the package for a slow sinking trap. ive modified a few by removing steel shot and replacing with glass seed beads, the glass is much lighter and also much louder. I fish a couple spots on the river that have some very shallow weed beds that these modded baits just kill it.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by mrmuskie5

Super spots are your best bet right out of the package for a slow sinking trap. ive modified a few by removing steel shot and replacing with glass seed beads, the glass is much lighter and also much louder. I fish a couple spots on the river that have some very shallow weed beds that these modded baits just kill it.

The glass beads are what I was thinking too. About how many glass beads do you put back in the lure? Equal to what you take out or something less?

[nofearengineer]

You can also take a floater and use the old method of wrapping lead foil around the treble shanks. Tried and true.

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

You can also take a floater and use the old method of wrapping lead foil around the treble shanks. Tried and true.

I think that is the method I would try too. It will be much easier to control your depth and play with different positions and amounts of weight.

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by nofearengineer

You can also take a floater and use the old method of wrapping lead foil around the treble shanks. Tried and true.

Great idea Bryce. Where would I get the lead foil for the wrapping?

[nofearengineer]

I know many golf pro shops and tennis pro shops sell it.

They use it for precision weighting of clubs and racquets.

[lilmule]

I have two of the floating rattletraps they work quite well on ky lake,they also made a lipped version of rattletrap floater but those Im not partial to.
Also a suspending lipless model,have 1 of those.

[bassboogieman]

Suspend dots or strips would also work with a floater and might get you a better balance than with the wire wrapped around the hook shank.

[bluebasser86]

Bill Lewis makes a suspending Rat-L-Trap. I've got a couple of them and they work very well over weeds in cold water, not sure if they still make them. If you could get a couple of them you could just add a couple suspend dots to them and they would sink slowly.

[keithdog]

Lots of very good ideas, I think I'll play around with more than one idea and then I'll let you know how it all works out. It will be a while though as the lakes up here are freezing over for the next few months.

[bassboogieman]

You can always test them in a gallon glass jar, small aquarium, or the bath tub - just be very carefull of the hooks when you're sitting in the tub, nakkid as a jaybird, playing with objects with very sharp hooks - I'd love to hear the explanation in the Emergency Room.....................

[lilmule]

One of the suspending rattletraps is on ebay now,starting at 5.99
Mine isnt a redzone prior to that
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BILL-LEWIS-R...item2a16a9d417

[aikenyounggun]

The lead wire is mentioned in the most recent bassmaster issue, they tell you where to get it and what guage. The article is about modifying crankbaits, might of also been of bassmaster.com

[pig n jig]

The Bill Lewis Red Zone traps are a suspending type trap but they sink slowly but will run at the depth you start the retrieve at.Cordell suspending spots do the same as do the Lucky craft LV0 bill lipped traps which comes through wood and weeds a whole lot better in my opinion.

[bamabassman]

i have the lead dots. it works.

[DVT Mike]

I have a suspending Rat-L-Trap someone gave me to try. It cranks down and suspends pretty neutrally.

[mrmuskie5]

Originally Posted by keithdog

The glass beads are what I was thinking too. About how many glass beads do you put back in the lure? Equal to what you take out or something less?

yup just drill a small hole and add the same number back then epoxy that dude shut. Or you can do what everybody else is saying a wrap some solder around the hook shanks, i just dont dig all that mess on my hooks, plus i just like to tinker lol.

[AUFred]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Has anyone ever seen a slow sinking lipless crank? I got to thinking about how beneficial it would be to have a slow sink version for fishing mid water columns and over the tops of weedbeds at a moderate speed. You could still tickle the tops of the weeds to trigger strikes, yet you wouldn't have to fish it as fast. I'm thinking about trying to modify a couple just to see what I can do to make such a bait.

There are floating models available and supposedly bouyant neutral or suspending versions. I have never had as much luck with them as sinking versions because if you run them too fast they surface. Good luck with your idea.